NEWS RELEASE

Chairman Shesko Steps Down

At the December 3, 2015 meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), Commissioner Gregory Shesko announced that he was stepping down from his position as chairman and member of the Executive Committee seven months early due to health concerns. Mr. Shesko plans to stay on the Board as one of its nine Commissioners.

"Greg epitomizes the care, understanding, and reasoned thinking that is valued in a Commissioner. His quiet leadership has engendered one of the most, if not the most, active Boards [of Library Commissioners] with which I have worked," said MBLC Director Dianne Carty.

Current Vice Chair Mary Ann Cluggish will move into the role of chair. Frank Murphy, who served as Board chair from 2012 to 2014, accepted the role of vice chair; Carol Caro will remain secretary until the Board holds elections in July 2016.

Shesko was elected as Board chair in July 2014. As a member of the MBLC Construction Team, he is a strong advocate for funding to support the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP). During his tenure as chair, Everett, South Hadley, and Salisbury opened renovated and expanded libraries with assistance from the MPLCP while Eastham, Framingham, Scituate, Shrewsbury, and Reading broke ground on new construction projects.

"These projects better the lives of every single resident now and in the future," Shesko said.

The State Aid to Public Libraries Program is also one of Shesko's top priorities. As a member of the State Aid Review Committee, Shesko joined fellow Commissioners Mary Kronholm and Jan Resnick alongside librarians and public library trustees from across the state in examining the program, which affects every public library and library user in Massachusetts.

Chairman Shesko was first appointed in September 2009 and was reappointed to a five-year term on the Board by Governor Deval Patrick in early 2014. A resident of Needham, Mr. Shesko co-chaired the "Renew Our Library" campaign which successfully secured $15.7 million to build Needham's new library. As president of the Friends of Needham Free Public Library, he led two successful override campaigns to increase library funding. He has also been a trustee at the Needham Free Public Library since 1994.

About MBLC

The Board of Library Commissioners (mass.gov/mblc) is the agency of state government with the statutory authority and responsibility to organize, develop, coordinate and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. The Board advises municipalities and library trustees on the operation and maintenance of public libraries, including construction and renovation. It administers state and federal grant programs for libraries and promotes cooperation among all types of libraries through regional library systems and automated resource sharing. It also works to ensure that all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of their geographic location, social or economic status, age, level of physical or intellectual ability or cultural background, have access to essential new electronic information technologies and significant electronic databases.

This website, and other programs of the MBLC, is funded in part with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency that fosters innovation, leadership, and a lifetime of learning.